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Unfortunately there are not any listings with serial numbers for build years for this German piano maker.

Would you be able to send me some pictures of the outside and the inside of your pianola, particularly the mechanical parts. This would be be very helpful. Do you know if and when any restoration may have been completed over the years or is it all still original? Is it regularly tuned and maintained. Does it fully play the music rolls.

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Hi John, In original condition according to last person who serviced and tuned it. About 12 months ago. We have owned it for 2 years. Still plays beautifully. Attached photo's for you. Can send more detailed photos if required.

I estimate that your pianola is around 100 years old. Judging by the condition of the pianola parts it could indeed be still as originally built. So apart from ongoing 'running' repairs the fact that it is still playing the rolls is very good and is probably because it has been kept going over the years. The worst enemy for this type of instrument is not being used fairly frequently. However, a potential purchaser could be very wary about buying such an instrument as it would sooner or later start to need to have considerable sums of money spent on it to keep it going.

A full internal and external restoration rebuild will usually cost anything between $10,000 and $15,000 or more. It has always been a very specialized market for Pianola Pianos and in the current market, with a good many pianos for sale, even in ‘mint’ condition after a costly total restoration, the owner may only receive offers in the order of $5000! It is a difficult market for this type and age of piano. This is why generally only the real enthusiast, who really knows how wonderful these instruments can be in top condition, have them restored because they understand and live with the fact that it is unlikely that they will ever achieve their money back if they have to sell. Or they hang on to them even un-restored and put up with a few hiccups when they are playing.

Unless your pianola has had major mechanical restoration during its life, I am sorry to say that it will not have a great deal of value. This is because generally pianos have a limited life span of 60 to 70 years mainly due to the wear during use and particularly due to the natural deterioration of the major mechanical parts such as the action, the strings, the soundboard, the tuning pins and the pin block over time, but this can be extended by careful regular maintenance/tuning and restoration or a full rebuild. Pianolas with their multitude of extra and often quite fragile and more susceptible to wear parts, are more at risk of deterioration.

Sadly these old upright Pianolas do not have a significant value even though they often have a great family history and a significant sentimental value. Therefore based on the information I have, the condition as described and the detail as viewed in the pictures, the age and the current market, I suggest that it has a retail value for a private sale in the AUD500 to 1,000 range.

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